Chapter 185: Hero Saves the Beauty

Yun Zhuoyue.

What a poetically rich name.

I thought this was a beautiful lady, but it turned out he was a man whose handsomeness could make crumbs fall off.

Speaking of his level of handsomeness, it's almost comparable to Fifth Senior Brother Cheng Haonan.

Zhang Xingyu doesn't hold any grudge against handsome guys.

Anyway, I'm also a handsome guy myself.

Although compared with Yun Zhuoyue, I'm still a tiny bit behind.

"Senior Brother Yun, please enlighten me!"

"Junior Brother Zhang, please enlighten me!"

Above the cloud platform, the two competitors exchanged little words.

After the ceremony, Zhang Xingyu leapt down from the cloud platform.

What the heck is this?

The great handsome Yun Zhuoyue wore a bewildered expression.

He just gave up like that.

While rubbing his head in contemplation, he felt a chill atop his head, and a tuft of sleek black hair drifted down.

At the same time, a gong rang on the cloud platform: "Fairy Sprout Grand Tournament Top‑100, Group 3, Round 1, Match 1 – Yun Zhuoyue of Moon‑hidden Pear Blossom Palace versus Zhang Xingyu of Nanhua Immortal Academy, Zhang Xingyu wins!"

Below the platform, the Nanhua Immortal Academy and Moon‑hidden Pear Blossom Palace disciples who came to watch were all bewildered.

That match ended way too quickly.

Everyone hadn't even seen the moves of the duel!

Zhang Xingyu jumped off the cloud platform and walked toward the shore under everyone's astonished gazes.

The Top‑100 uses a knockout format, with thirty‑three participants per group, and my next match is still far away.

Staying around this cloud platform is boring, so I might as well wander around.

Leaving the platform, I arrived at the shore.

I walked along a winding path, looking around as I went.

Ahead stretched a lake of rippling emerald water, with willow branches swaying in the breeze beside me.

Zhang Xingyu plucked a red wild fruit and gently sucked its sweet juice.

After passing through a stretch of green shade and crossing a wooden bridge, I faced a towering tree.

The tree was majestic and upright, its foliage dense, and its thick trunk scarred all over.

A young man sat beneath the tree.

He was gaunt, with high cheekbones, and held a pet pangolin in his hand.

Pangolin?

What a strange person, keeping a pangolin as a beast pet.

Others keep dogs, wolves, ferrets and the like; this is the first time I've seen someone raise a pangolin.

The pangolin kept sniffing the tree, as if trying to pierce the trunk like stone.

When Zhang Xingyu approached, the young man's complexion changed, and the rope in his hand tightened.

The pangolin obediently returned to the young man's side, dutifully lying on the ground in front of him, humming.

Zhang Xingyu nodded at the man and said, "Senior Brother, your pet is truly unique, isn't it?"

The young man was momentarily stunned, then nodded, "Everyone has their own tastes. I just enjoy raising pangolins."

Zhang Xingyu chuckled, "Got it, got it. Senior Brother, does this spirit pet have any special abilities?"

The young man nodded, "My spirit pet is named Jin Jia, a fourth‑tier, third‑rank bloodline, best at tunneling through mountains."

Zhang Xingyu asked again, "A pangolin can tunnel, of course. I want to know how strong this pet is in combat."

"Combat power? My Jin Jia is fully armored; ordinary artifacts can't even wound it," the young man replied proudly.

"Impressive!"

Zhang Xingyu gave a thumbs‑up.

Once upon a time, Zhang Xingyu also wanted to keep a jiao dragon as a pet.

Unfortunately, that jiao dragon received the inheritance of the Illusory Dragon God, so my plan to raise a little dragon as a pet fell through.

"Senior Brother, you keep walking your pet; I'll go over there to stroll."

Zhang Xingyu clasped his hands in farewell to the young man and continued to wander along the lakeshore.

After walking a while, a golden shoreline came into view.

Fine golden grains were spread evenly across the beach, sparkling under the sun.

A woman stood on the beach.

She wore a white veil over her head, bare feet, and stepped slowly into the lake.

Isn't this the woman who looks a lot like the White Bone Spirit?

I recall the middle‑aged man who came with her said her name was Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng stepped toward the lake's center, the icy water already covering her pristine calves.

A chill frost settled on her face.

Yet she seemed unfazed, continuing to walk slowly forward.

What is this woman doing?

Is she trying to commit suicide?

"Hey, don't lose your mind!"

Zhang Xingyu shouted at Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng did not turn around; her pale cheeks still showed no expression at all.

Zhang Xingyu did not think it through, and rushed quickly toward the beach.

Righteousness and bravery, a hero rescuing a beauty—these are ingrained in Zhang Xingyu's very bones.

Zhang Xingyu sprinted across the sand and leapt into the water.

A bone‑piercing chill seeped in from his feet, freezing him into shivers.

Clack, clack.

Zhang Xingyu heard the sound of his own teeth grinding.

He quickly gathered fire spirit energy, blocking that cold tightly beneath his calves.

Zhang Xingyu did not stop.

He forced his steps forward, straining to chase after Lu Xiaofeng.

Fortunately, Lu Xiaofeng was moving very slowly.

When the lake water covered her chest, Zhang Xingyu finally caught up with her.

"Lu, Aunt Lu, girl, don't—don't go!"

Lu Xiaofeng kept walking forward.

"Don't—don't think about giving up! No matter how big the problem, there's no need to kill yourself!"

Persuasion failed.

Zhang Xingyu, with a hardened heart, waved his hand and employed the Binding Immortal Rope.

Lu Xiaofeng did not resist.

She was bound by Zhang Xingyu into a shape like a rice dumpling.

Zhang Xingyu dragged Lu Xiaofeng, step by step, toward the shore.

On the lake's surface, black mist churned.

The mist carried a faint fishy stench.

Zhang Xingyu felt dizzy, his head heavy, drowsy.

This mist is haunted!

No, must stay awake.

Zhang Xingyu bit his own tongue; the sharp pain snapped him awake.

At that moment, a black mist slithered up the Binding Immortal Rope like a poisonous snake.

The black mist pierced into his hand.

"Ah!"

Zhang Xingyu cried out in pain.

The Binding Immortal Rope in his hand fell away.

"Ding‑dong, host contributed 100 points of demonic Qi, converting to 1 point of God Yuan Value."

The system's long‑absent notification sound rang.

So the black mist was demonic Qi.

No wonder the water is so icy.

It must be that something emitting demonic Qi lies at the lake's bottom.

Zhang Xingyu reached out, retrieved the Binding Immortal Rope, and kept dragging Lu Xiaofeng toward the beach.

His hand felt as if cut by a knife, trembling with pain.

Meanwhile, the system's notification kept sounding.

"Ding‑dong, host contributed 100 points of demonic Qi, converting to 1 point of God Yuan Value."

"Ding‑dong, host contributed 100 points of demonic Qi, converting to 1 point of God Yuan Value......"

A quarter of an hour later, he finally dragged Lu Xiaofeng back to the sand.

The moment he set foot on the beach, Zhang Xingyu plopped down onto the yellow sand.

At that moment, his arms were bruised black, as if poisoned by a snake.

Behind him, Lu Xiaofeng's face was pale, her hollow eyes devoid of any hue.

Her dripping dress clung tightly to her, fully accentuating her devilish figure.

Zhang Xingyu subconsciously touched his nose.

Damn, why is my nose bleeding?

At that moment, someone suddenly ran up from the shore.

The person shouted while running, "Kid, don't bully my daughter!"